It's All Fun and Games
by Alia Inverse
Summary: In a parallel world where Mafia Families are ranked through fighting games, a new group going by the name of 'The Clam' begins their ascent to the top, determined to destroy the Company and all that it represents. But things are never so simple, as hidden truths, unexpected allies and powerful enemies stand in their way. 5YL, AU
1. Prologue: Regulations

**White Orchid Games**

**Family Level:**

-Lvl. I: Matches limited to one Flame type, up to 20 contestants per Family.

-Lvl. II: Matches limited to two Flames types, up to 50 contestants per Family.

-Lvl. III: Matches limited to three to five Flames types, up to 100 contestants per Family.

-Lvl. IV: Matches for all of the Weather Flames types, up to 200 contestants per Family.

-Lvl. V: Sky Matches.

All new Families will be placed in Level I by default.

To escalate a level, the Family is required to defeat the lowest ranked Family on the level they want to access. Until they have won a match in the next level, they must accept all challengers who wish to ascend as well.

**Regulations:**

-A match will be over when one Family surrenders or cannot fight any longer. If the defeated Family was the lowest ranked in the next level, the winner may pass to that level.

-The competing Families and Flame types in a match will be chosen at random by the competent staff, with the exception of ranking matches. A ranking match between two Families must be approved by their respective leaders or, should they be unavailable, the second in command.

-It is not allowed to refuse a match already set. Failure to comply will be penalized with ten weeks of suspension.

-Illusions, masks, hoods or other identity-concealing items will not be permitted unless the Family has a special permission by the competent staff.

-Each Family is required to have a minimum of a Guardian for each of the branches, which are divided as follows: _Storm, Rain, Sun, Cloud, Mist, Lightning._ It is recommended to have at least one sub-guardian for each, but that is not compulsory.

-All contestants in a match must have the corresponding Flame. The use of any other Flame is strictly forbidden. Failure to comply will be penalized with two months of suspension.

-A multiple Flame user may inscribe in as many categories as they wish, however they will be required to limit his Flame use to the corresponding match, as stipulated above.

-All participants must be present on the field at the time set for the beginning of the match. Scheduled matches have to be attended by a minimum of 5% of the active members. Failure to comply will be penalized with immediate disqualification and three weeks of suspension.

-If four matches are lost consecutively, the Family will be demoted one level, regardless of their rank.

-It is forbidden to abandon an on-going match until the judges declare the winner. Failure to comply will be penalized with a month of suspension.

-The teams may not remain inactive for more than approximately five minutes. If the teams don't show a willingness to fight inside the time limit, a warning will be made; if there are no signs of combat for another minute, both teams will be disqualified.

-Alterations of the order by non-combatants are not allowed. Family members who don't abide to this rule will be suspended for ten days.

-Any violent action against the judges, be it intentional or accidental, will be penalized with two months of suspension plus demotion of the whole Family of two levels regardless of their rank.

-Continuous disobedience of the judges is not permitted, and will be punished with immediate disqualification.

-It is not allowed to participate in any level lower than your own. Failure to comply will be penalized with demotion to Level I plus five months of suspension.

-Solo players may join any Family at any given time, provided that they inform the corresponding office. They may not compete in a match for the following three days.

-Players who wish to abandon their Families may do so, on the condition that they do not join any other Family in the next ten days. All restrictions or bonuses they have earned individually will be maintained.

-Non-flame staff may not stand on the field during the match. No further restrictions apply.

By inscribing in the games, the Family and its members agree to follow the rules stipulated above. The Thousand Petals Company wishes you an entertaining experience. Don't hesitate to approach your nearest office in case of doubts.

.

.

.

_(The company and its staff will not be responsible for any killing or incapacitation occurred during the games)_


	2. Level I: Sun's Radiance

******Warnings: T for mild swearing and some violence but nothing too graphic.**

**N/A.: Inspired by DF-chan's 'Games', which can be found inside the collection 'The Byakuran Effect'. Don't forget to check it out! It's awesome!**

**Finally, special thanks to my wonderful beta WhitishBlack, who not only revised the story but also helped me reshape some parts that were a bit confusing. And now, on with it!**

* * *

01. Level I: Sun's Radiance

_Namimori, Japan – Wasarenakusa Stadium_

A silver haired young man was standing alone behind the great double doors that would lead him to the arena. His eyes glinted dangerously under the fluorescent lights as he took deep, calming breaths the way he had been taught to do before a match.

And this one was truly important. For years he had been preparing for this moment, training, running away, falling and standing up again, driven, as all of his partners were, by the faint chance of a better future. The White Orchid Games, the very same thing that had destroyed their childhood, was the only way they could fight back; and even if his morals clashed or he felt disgusted for what he was about to do, he trusted his boss, knowing that there was no other way.

With a high-pitched sound, the loudspeakers came to life and the door opened, letting in the blinding light in the stadium, the sun's rays filtering into the grand space through the retractable roof. The audience roared as his opponents were introduced; so he waited, fidgeting with suppressed energy until he heard his call: _"and against them we have a daring newcomer. They appeared suddenly a month ago, yet nothing is known about this Family except for their name. Ladies and gentlemen, they are… _The Clam!"

Silence followed as everyone watched curiously towards the white doors as a loud stomping sound was heard, as if a small army was about to appear. And all the audience gaped when a man who looked as if he barely was on his twenties appeared alone. His knuckles were bandaged, though they didn't seem hurt, and he had the build of a boxer. As he made his way to the center of the stadium, the whispers and murmurs followed him.

"Who is that? The Guardian?"

"He doesn't have any subordinates. Does he plan to go against Kuroi Chi alone?"

"The Clam has done well enough on matches of one vs. many."

"Maybe with no-good teams. I bet the rest of the family is in waiting to ambush Kuroi Chi."

"Dumbass! The rules say that all fighters must be present at the beginning of the match. They'd be here already."

"Speaking of which, isn't this a violation of the rules? The 5% what-cha-ma-call-it?"

"They haven't had a problem before, because-"

The man arrived at the center and inhaled deeply, casting aside his dark thoughts to enjoy the thrill of the competition. Before anyone could speak any more, he bellowed at the top of his lungs. "EXTREMEEE!"

The crowd fell silent, as he prepared to shout again. "The name is Sasagawa Ryohei! Guardian and ONLY active member of the Sun Clam! I'll defeat all of my rivals to the extreme!"

His speech was interrupted by the guffaws of his opponents. The leader, a foul-looking man with crooked teeth sneered at him, signaling at his seven companions. "Are you mocking us? What the hell do you think you can do on your own! Judge get this fool out of here!" He ordered the pink dressed woman. Behind her mask, she frowned at his disrespectfulness.

"The Clam's Sun team is in order. The match will proceed as planned." The Cervello said impassively. She seemed to be the only person in the stadium unaffected by the Clam's entrance. Her clan was, after all, specialized in creating rules and mediating conflicts; as long as it was legal, it would not meet surprise or punishment on her part. The loudspeakers came to life once again. _"And now we can finally begin! Players, please be on your guards! Ready!..."_

"START!" The shout was muffled by the audience's roars, as everyone concentrated on the show, some skeptical, some amused. The Kuroi Chi gang didn't bother to attack right away; they were well known by their fighting skills, so a mere brat could not hope to be victorious.

The thugs were still laughing when Ryohei easily barreled towards them, sending his left fist soaring towards the nearest one's face; the force of the punch threw him backwards, as his surprised companions scrambled out of his way, and with a _thud_ he hit the wall behind him, falling unconscious. Not sparing another look towards him, the boxer sidestepped, changing his stance swiftly to punch a second man in the gut, and then a third in the jaw promptly ducking as his enemies finally got out of his stupor.

"Extreme!"

"Why you little…!" Five men left, but here was where it got dangerous. From the corner of his eyes, Ryohei saw something glint in the leader's hand, and only his instincts saved him from being stabbed. He backed away slowly, studying his surroundings; if he let himself get surrounded, the match would be as good as over.

One of the remaining men, a thirty-year-old-something with greasy hair attacked suddenly, sending a roundhouse kick to his side; Ryohei blocked it with his left arm, only to fall down, clutching the limb in pain. The next kick sent him flying a few meters, robbing him of breath. Amongst the haze in his mind, he was able to see two couple of legs coming towards him; he struggled to his knees, grabbing one of them and twisting it in an awkward angle, barely registering the howl of pain as another opponent fell down; he escaped the next attack by a hair's length, and missing his step, slammed into a shorty who was trying to get some sort of weapon out. He used his leverage to thrust his elbow down, wincing when a sick _crack_ informed him that he had effectively broken the guy's nose.

Three men left. The leader had a murderous expression on his face, dagger in hand; flanking him was the extreme kicker and… a young teen, trembling and looking at him with deer's eyes. Ryohei felt the fury swell within him; he didn't need to know the kid to know his story. It was not strange to see it over and over again, even if most Families tried to hide those captives (since that was what most of them were) until having brainwashed them completely.

"Well, well… we've found a little fighter here," the right hand man sneered, interrupting his train of thought, hands in his pocket. "Good job getting rid of the small fries… now I'll be your rival." He looked over his shoulder. "Mind if I have some fun first, Guardian?"

"Do whatever the hell you want. Hikaru, you better watch closely."

"Ye…yes, sir…" The boy answered in a murmur, not quite meeting his boss' gaze. He was trembling all over the place, and Ryohei saw red when he noticed the bruises barely visible under the loose shirt.

His little moment of hesitation was not lost on the other man, and a strike to his gut had Ryohei doubled, gasping for breath. "Don't resist boy, it won't end well for you!" With his eyes half closed, the silver haired man almost couldn't see the hit directed to his face, only barely jumping backwards to avoid a clean hit.

He fell to one knee, fighting to get back his bearings when the man loomed over him, sending him sprawling to the ground. With a sick delight, he stepped on his left wrist, making him cry in pain. Ryohei tried to break free, but in his trashing he suddenly felt something inside pulling the wrong way, and a scream broke from his lungs again. Licking his lips, the sneering man got up, cackling. "Bet you can't use that hand anymore, boy."

He put his hands back in his pocket, looking over his shoulder. "You little pest. Finish him off." He barked at the scared teen.

"I… I…" The young warrior stuttered, his eyes growing larger that it seemed possible.

"Do it. Properly this time." The guardian confirmed, giving him his own dagger brusquely, watching the scene with the same poorly contained glee as his second in command. Ryohei breathed deeply through the nose, willing the pain to go away and his vision to clear. Something like this would not be the end.

The scared teen was advancing slowly with an unsteady grip on the weapon and glistening eyes. Ryohei gritted his teeth. "You! You don't want to fight, do you? Don't let them rule your life!"

"No I… I can't… you don't…"

"Don't speak to that trash, idiot. I didn't hire you to think."

Hire? The boy flinched and Ryohei got to his feet, hissing. Hikaru was not there of his own volition, that much was obvious. Why the Company turned a blind eye to this injustice was one of the things he would never understand, and the one thing he loathed the most.

In all truth, that had been a side effect that no one could have predicted once the W.O. Games started becoming more and more popular and as they became the important pillar of social standing that they had become: A sudden and merciless hunt for 'talents'; that is flame users that had remained unknown until that moment, many having been unaware of their own power. Especially new Families that desperately needed more numbers began bribing, threatening or even kidnapping civilians in other to increase their ranks. Children were especially targeted, since they could be trained and shaped as the leader saw fit, easily gaining their loyalty.

As the years passed, it had become increasingly difficult to hide, and many lived in fear that their loved ones would disappear in the middle of the night, never to be seen again.

He knew that better than anyone. After all, if it hadn't been for their Sky, where would he be now?

* * *

_Eight years ago_

* * *

A child was running down the street as fast as his short legs could carry him. He didn't risk looking back to where his pursuers where; he leaped onto the road not caring for the red traffic light, ignoring the angry honks of the cars in his haste. Only sheer luck saved him from certain death.

He wiped the blood sweeping from his eyebrow with a hand, but it soon obscured his vision again. His head hurt like it was going to explode, his vision blurred at times and he seemed unable to run in a straight line; the most rational part of his brain said that that could not be normal; but he could not stop.

At least, he mused, the scary men were all after him now; his sister was safe, his parents were safe. But he had promised to come back, so getting caught was not an option. Running forever was out of the question, as un-extreme as that was, so the only thing he could do was fight back and hope for the best.

He could hear their footsteps coming closer, and the angry shouts behind him made him reconsider his plan. He might not be the smartest cookie in the jar, but he knew that going against six grown men with his eleven year old strength was a recipe for disaster.

So what was left? Hide? He looked around frantically; but where?

Each breath hurt more than the rest, and he realized that he was running out of time; with horror he noticed that the streets were becoming less and less crowded as he kept going forward. The people, who unknowingly slowed down his wannabe captors, had been the best defense he'd had.

He never saw the person in front of him until they collided and went tumbling on the floor. With a startled gasp he fought to get back on his feet and was ready to strike back when the sight before him fully registered, and his fist stopped midway.

It was a boy, about the same age as his little sister, with brown hair and big caramel eyes. Their gazes locked for a moment, until they heard the silver head pursuers and the kid's startled expression turned hard. Getting up quickly, he took the older boy's hand and began drawing him down the street, his strides short but resolute. The boy led him through different alleys, turning sharply and changing directions often; before long, he was completely lost.

Finally they arrived to a run-down space that the injured child vaguely recalled to be an amusement park that had to close a few years ago. As they hastily crossed the gates, the brunet began looking around, until he finally seemed to find what he was looking for in one of the buildings.

"Takeshi! Enemies!" At his shout, another boy appeared on the door, with a surprised look on his face. His eyes scanned the silveret suspiciously before nodding slightly and running back inside. For the first time since they met, the strange boy turned to face him. "Come on, we are almost there!"

Dumb-founded, he could only follow his lead as they passed the merry-go-round where most of the horses were missing or broken, and jumped on the tracks for the bumper cars where they finally stopped.

"What…?" He began to ask, but was interrupted when the thugs finally caught up. One of them, presumably the leader snarled. "You brat…! Come quietly and let us do our job!"

The brunet put a hand on the other boy's shoulder, replying. "No way! Get lost!" Even in his state, the silveret noticed that he was trembling. He couldn't let this boy get hurt just for trying to help! He tried to take a step, but the other's grip only intensified. "He doesn't want to go with you, leave him alone!"

"Boy…" He said with a raspy voice, trying to make him understand.

"Please, trust me." The boy murmured, as if he knew what was on his head. "My friend is almost there."

But before he could say anything, all of the thugs had already stepped inside the attraction, and were surrounding them. At that moment, several things happened at once.

First, the lights that should not function anymore switched on simultaneously, blinding them; at the same time, the kid spun around, dragging him towards the stall and with a loud noise, all of the bumper cars came to life, all moving forward without any kind of control. The men tried to get away, shoving against their colleagues as the machines accelerated towards them from every angle. With an almighty crash, everything became silent once again.

The runaway opened his eyes slowly, looking up to his saviors. When the fact registered in his brain that he was no longer being chased, his adrenaline rush faded away and he soon fell into unconsciousness.

* * *

Present time

* * *

It was immoral. It was _wrong._ Feeling his resolve grow stronger, he threw caution to the wind; he had spent weeks preparing for this first match, and would not let his friends, his family down. They would right this world with their own hands.

He abruptly charged at the still indecisive teen, who, frightened, was not able to react and taking advantage of this distraction he passed by his side without a second thought; heading for the most active fighter. The kicker however, was able to see his intentions a second before they happened and he thrust his leg to the side, targeting Ryohei's injured wrist. With a determined glare, he moved his arm before the hit came, catching the other's ankle with his left and fighting hard to keep his vision from blurring, ignoring the pain that soared up to his shoulder and set his hand on fire. Wincing slightly, he didn't miss this chance swiftly tightening his grip on the other's leg to immobilize him. Then he stretched his right shoulder backwards, "Maximum canon!"

The man grunted as he fell down, spitting blood mixed with saliva as he got to his knees, seemingly stunned. He began to get up, rigid, to begin his counterattack. But Ryohei was already upon him again, and this time he was faster. He hit him in the chest, just below the neck and when the man was down once again, Ryohei knew he wouldn't get back up.

Ryohei was panting hard, his left arm was almost useless now, and black spots began to appear at the corner of his eyes. In front of him, the last man smirked, uninjured. The guardian had retreated as his men received the blunt of the Clam's attack, and now he was about to use that advantage. His eyes took a dangerous glint as his gaze locked with Ryohei's battered form. "Brat, you are giving me a headache." Ryohei didn't answer, merely readjusting his stance so he could have him. Sweat was rolling freely down his temple. "You might have been a worthy opponent had this been a one on one battle."

"But you never would be." Ryohei spat.

The man approached him with lazy steps, taking his time circling around his prey and Ryohei held back a grunt; even if he didn't want to admit it, he was having a hard time simply to stand.

Then the man smirked gleefully; and suddenly, two arms appeared behind Ryohei, pinning him in place. As he struggled, he could hear the ragged breath behind him; one of the underlings was not as unconscious as it had seemed at first. Still fighting to free himself, his attention was redirected to the dagger coming his way; coming closer, barely a meter away and no matter how he moved he would not break free in time! With a shout he jerked his right arm, the grip on his shoulder becoming weaker but it was not enough. Even if he managed to prevent it from hitting a vital spot the fight would be as good as over.

"No!" A black blur moved in front of him as the steel reached him, and with a pained cry, the teenager fell down, clutching his shoulder that was bleeding fast.

"That was stupid."

"Boy!" Ryohei shouted, staring wide eyed at the teen that had saved him. With a roar, he thrust his head backwards with force, using the distance created between him and his attacker by hitting with his half-freed arm as well. Now free, he lunged towards the last man standing, his rage fuelling his movements as he managed to stop the dagger with his left hand, the blood running freely through his fingers, sending his elbow down the other's wrist to make him drop the weapon. His attack didn't stop there, though, as he took his final stance. "MAXIMUM CANON!"

He swayed on his feet, determined to not fall down, not now. Silence reigned in the stadium, until the commentator began shouting once more.

"_Ladies and gentleman, we have a winner! Let's give a cheer for _The Clam_'s_ _Sun first victory!_"

Once he realized that there was no one else standing, that he had truly done it, he spun around, to the fallen teen. The boy had had the sense to press a cloth against his shoulder to slow the blood flow; his face hidden by shadows. When Ryohei arrived by his side, however, he looked up and gave him a shaky laugh. "That fe-felt… good."

"I did it." Ryohei said, dazed. Suddenly his legs buckled under him, and he fell on his back. Slowly, a disbelieving laugh made it through his lips, as he raised his arm towards the bright sun that shone in the endless blue sky. _'We _can_ do it!'_

* * *

_The Clam_ vs. _Kuroi Chi_ (Sun match): _Victory!_

* * *

**Whew… this is quite the challenge, I don't think I've ever needed to write as many fight scenes as I do with this fic… Reviews are very much appreciated! ****Please, tell me your opinions!**^^ 

**Until next time!**


	3. Level I: The Clam

02. Level I: The Clam

_Namimori, Japan – Kokuyo Building_

Close to the stadium, in a luxurious apartment on top of a tall building, a handsome brunet was observing the city with a melancholic look in his eyes. He couldn't be much older than eighteen, with a petite frame and despite the fine clothes he wore he seemed almost out of place in the big office he was currently occupying. If anyone were to see him walking down the street, no one would believe that a great part of the Kokuyo building was his, or that he already had enough money to not need to work for one day of his life; for many, even if he was barely of age, he already had everything that one could ever want.

They wouldn't know that he would give up everything for the opportunity of a normal life. He was far too young when he saw the ugliness of the world, and ever since then he had been chased because of the abilities he had been born with and forced to act because of the blood in his veins; finally the world had effectively crushed all of his options until there was only one path left.

If you could not beat them, join them, people often said. And so he and his family (his true family, born of hardships and trust rather than blood) had carefully trained and planned every step of the way; now, finally, he could say that they were on the right direction. The Clam was steadily growing, and even if it was still too soon to make a great difference it was something that none of the orphans and misfits thrown together years ago could have ever dreamed of accomplishing.

He did find strangely ironic the fact that their current headquarters were located in the same place where they had spent most of their childhood. Sometimes, in those days when he felt optimistic enough, he even saw that as a sign of fate, like their city cheered them on and supported their plan. Today was not one of those days.

"Sky." A voice interrupted his musings, and he slowly turned around, turning his back to the depressing landscape. He smiled brightly at his companion, a man that, despite being his same age, towered almost a head above him with well-built muscles and a single bamboo sword sheathed by his side, contrasting sharply with his modern attire.

The dark-haired man frowned, seeing through his charade effortlessly. "You know _sempai_ can handle this. After all, we've come this far together."

The smile fell from his companion's lips, and a worried scowl took its place. "I know. It's just that…"

Before he could voice his worries, his cellphone began ringing insistently and, with one look at the caller and an apologetic wave of his hand he pressed it against his ear. The other shrugged and lounged himself on the couch. "Sky speaking."

"_Sky-kun! Kyoko reporting; Ryohei has won the Sun's Radiance. The rival family sent nine men. No one has died and…"_ The girl hesitated, and the leader's scowl deepened; he hated that she had to do this when she felt so uncomfortable against violence and death. However, she took a deep breath and finished with a steady voice. _"Ryohei received ribs bruising and a dislocated wrist, but we've started applying flames so it won't cause any problems in the future. Also…"_ A loud voice kept booming in the background, and the girl sighed. _"He wants to speak with you, is that alright?"_

"Yes, put him on please."

"_Sa… Sky! I have to ask you something extremely important!"_ The voice of his Sun Guardian boomed through the speaker as lively as always. With a soft chuckle, he changed the phone to his other ear, keeping it a bit apart from him. "What is it?"

"_I have an extreme kid here who wants to join us!"_

The brunet blinked, confused. "Um… What?"

"_I said that-Oomff!"_ Suddenly there was a small struggle on the other end of the line, and the feminine voice was back. _"Sorry, Sky-kun. During the match one of their… members deflected, and was injured protecting my brother. He wants to join the Clam as a Sun player."_ He narrowed his eyes, but even if he didn't know the full story, he trusted the siblings' judgment. "Bring him to Kyouya's office."

"…_Hibari? Will that be okay?"_

"Don't worry, I'll take care of that."

"_Alright. We'll head there as soon as we are done. See you soon."_ He gave his goodbyes, and left the cell in his desk, sighing. "Ryohei won. But he was hurt," he shook his head when the other occupant of the room stood up suddenly. "No, it was nothing major, Takeshi. He will be alright."

Takeshi relaxed, sinking back onto the couch. "Those are good news. You don't need to look so gloomy."

"He got _hurt_! He went against _nine_ men, and it could have been two times that! And while you all are out there… what can I do meanwhile?" The last part was just a murmur, so soft that it was a miracle that the swordsman across the room heard it. "Damn rules. Damn games."

The man in the couch looked at his friend sympathetic. As the Sky, he was their leader but could not do anything in the actual battles, at least not yet. While it would have been difficult for any of them it was even worse for him, who had been training and improving himself so that he could protect them. "You have made this possible, you know. None of us would be here without you." The brunet seemed about to reply, so he continued. "Besides, sensei always said that there are no useless powers in battle…"

"There are only weak minds. You are right, of course." He managed a small smile, marveling not for the first time about his Rain's ability to wash his worries away. Takeshi had been the first to become his family, and most of the time he seemed able to see right through him. "We've come too far to stop now." He eventually relented.

Feeling how the tension left the room, Takeshi grinned happily once again. "We sure have! How long has it been since we had to use bumper cars to beat up thugs?"

"Very long…" The brunet smiled. He took a seat behind the mahogany desk, his eyes unfocused as he recalled simpler (if not happier) times. Feeling slightly better, he continued. "Also, Ryohei wants a Sun player to join his branch."

Only someone who knew Takeshi well would have seen the shadow of doubt that clouded his eyes for a moment before the grin was back in place. "That is great! That would be our first recruit!"

"Eight fighters aren't that much better than seven." He said with a chastising tone, but Takeshi ignored his remark. The energetic man was about to add something else, when the brunet's eyes lit up and he held up a hand. Staring at the door, he said, "Come on in."

Neither the swordsman nor the eye-patched woman who opened the door appeared to be bothered by the fact that he knew she was there before she could knock. The woman was the same age as the other two, moving with a grace that spoke of a rigid upbringing; yet there was something wary in her movements as well, as if she too had suffered. Her purple hair was tied in a strange pineapple style, and she smiled shyly at the brunet.

"Are you feeling better, Chrome?"

"Yes, thank you Boss. I brought the reports you asked for."

Takeshi made a motion to leave the room but noticing this, the brunet across the room shrugged slightly as he began leafing through the papers. His eyes stopped in a particular paragraph, and he spoke without lifting his head. "He did a good job inscribing our family in the register for Level I without giving away too much information. What about the vessel?"

"Mukuro-sama said that when he is done there will only be some memory loss and confusion."

"When he is done?" The man lifted an eyebrow, not sure whether to feel amused, scared or exasperated at the actions of the most wayward of his guardians. Finally settling with resignation, he shook his head, moving on.

The woman tiptoed closer to the desk when she noticed the report he had in his hands. His voice shook a little as he spoke. "Has this been verified?"

"Hibari is investigating their ties with Japan, but the information seems correct. The Tomaso Family will be arriving to Tokyo in three days' time."

Takeshi chose that moment to join the conversation. "The Tomaso are the Family that lost against the Carcassa right around the time we started, aren't they?"

"Which means that right now, they are the lowest-ranked Family in Level II." Sky mussed, raising a hand to his chin while his left-hand man let out a triumphant laugh.

Their plan had been to take some time building a reputation in their homeland before trying to increase their rank; on the other hand, time was a luxury they did not have anymore. Yet the Tomaso with all of their flaws was a potent Family with more than enough members to pose a serious threat against them. He sighed; was it wise to rush into the next step so rashly?

"How are Gokudera's prepations going?"

"He already found a suitable base in Siena." Chrome pointed to the last folder. She waited patiently while their boss scanned it and finally gave a nod of appreciation. "Yes, this one will do. Please tell him to start with the accommodations and be ready to return in a week." Chrome nodded, looking at him questioningly; by her side, Takeshi still had the information of Tomaso in his hands. He smiled ruefully. "Well... They would murder us if we let go of an opportunity like this one pass by. Takeshi, you and Ryohei are taking a train to Tokyo tomorrow."

"Roger that!" The raven head beamed, and left the room with a hum, like he had not a care in the world. The Sky chuckled softly after he left, before turning to his female guardian.

"Ryohei won. Could you take care of the rest of the deal?"

She smiled, "Of course, I'll do it immediately. Are you going somewhere?" She asked, sharp as ever. He nodded, standing up and she turned around. "By the way, thanks Chrome."

"You are welcome, Boss."

* * *

_Namimori, Japan - Outskirts_

Appearances, Chrome thought as she walked down the street, could be very deceiving. Throughout her life she had had plenty of opportunities to corroborate that simple fact. Let's take, for instance, the household of an important fashion franchise's owner. While to the world he is happily married and has a pretty and talented daughter he adores, the truth is that he can barely stand to be in the same room as the superficial Barbie he married and constantly bents his frustration on the child, pushing her so far beyond her limits that their relation should be compared to child abuse.

Or let's take a nice house in the suburbs, made of white walls and designed by a copy-cat of the latest hit in modern architecture. It has four rooms, flowers in the backyard and a complex design of high ceilings and intricate stairs which cost would make any banker faint with glee. Who would then expect the owner to be not only a criminal, but the Don of a ruthless yakuza family known by their dirty fighting style?

Of course, appearances also tended to work in her favor; which was why, as she stepped into the huge library full of unopened books, she was calm and confident, not one hint of fear showing in her stance as she was surrounded by men at least twice her age. She kept her gaze steady as she looked at the man in the middle, clearly the one in charge.

She couldn't help but compare him to her own boss; where the brunet's eyes were always warm and welcoming, no matter how hurt or scared he was, this man's were hard and cold, almost like he was demanding respect instead of working to earn it. She instantly disliked him, but carefully kept her expression blank.

"Matsuura Suji, leader of the Kuroi Chi Family," she said. "I come in the name of the leader of the Clam."

The man scoffed, an angry scowl disfiguring his features. "If he wanted something with me, he should have come in person."

She didn't dignify that with an answer, giving a curt nod to show that she had heard him before moving on to more serious business. "As we agreed before, with the Clam's victory we can claim rights over the seventh district of Namimori. You are to cease all contact with the shopkeepers and civilians living there at once."

"And if I don't?" The man said, leaning forward and smirking at the girl.

"Then we will destroy you and your family." She said matter-of-factly, only now leveling her gaze to the man's face. It was a fact that was mostly unspoken, but that in the end had become the most powerful reason behind the games; rank and power were everything. And even if the differences between two Families on the same level (especially lower ones) were not considered especially relevant, the Clam knew that they had to be firm from the start.

The man grimaced. And in that moment, Chrome realized that he was about to do something stupid on some ridiculous reason like a coward's pride. So with a slight wave of her hand, the trident she always carried with her materialized in her hand, and she held it down casually, not attacking but still on her guard. The leader and his escorts bristled.

Ten minutes later the girl came out of the house, completely unharmed, and silently she stepped inside the car that had just stopped in the curb. As the vehicle sped down the street, taking her back home, she couldn't help but feel restless and a little excited; absently, she brushed the irregular shaped ring hidden in her pocket with her fingertips.

This time, they finally had the power to protect their Sky.

* * *

**Thanks to all of you who have favorited or followed the story in the first chapter, a big thanks to those who reviewed and a great thanks to my beta WhitishBlack!**

**Please leave a review if you can!**

**Until next time!**


	4. Level I: Behind the Scenes

03. Level I: Behind the Scenes

_Namimori, Japan – Kokuyo Building_

Hikaru could do little more than stand and gape at the sight that greeted him as they stepped outside the car that had picked them up from the stadium. He had already known that the Clam was not your average Family, of course. Once the battle was over, the Sun guardian had practically dragged him away to the waiting room, where a frantic woman had begun fussing over them _both_ without even seeming to notice that he had been an enemy not five minutes ago.

They had dressed his wounds and applied Sun Flames to stop the bleeding and close the wound; the woman –who had been introduced as Sasagawa Kyoko, the Sun guardian's sister- had insisted on taking him to the hospital, but given what he had done during the match, he didn't want to risk going to such an obvious –and public– place where he would be easily traceable.

All it had taken had been a passing remark, something along the lines of 'I wish I had met your Family earlier', and the eyes of the Sun guardian had lit up; before the sixteen year old could say anything else, he already had his cellphone out and was punching the call button. As soon as it connected his sister plucked it from his fingers, flashing them a polite smile before focusing her attention on the conversation with the unknown receiver.

"I've wanted to have a _kouhai_ for a while now! Do you like boxing, Hikaru?" Ryohei laughed.

The teen resisted the urge to look at his practically non-existent muscles, and instead he focused on the other part of the sentence, "_Kouhai?"_

"Well, you are joining us, aren't you?" The silveret frowned. "You are not staying with those yakuza?"

"No!" The auburn haired boy shouted, waving his hands in front of him. "Of course I won't! But… uh…" Luckily, Ryohei beamed and decided to save him from his stuttering, thumping him hard on the back.

"Don't worry, our boss is one extreme guy! I'm sure he'll like you! Hey Kyoko, let me talk to him!"

After that short conversation, the poor boy had been too confused to fully process what had happened, and before he knew it Hikaru was standing in front of one of the richest (and most recent) sectors of the city, in front of a very classy building.

He exhaled a nervous sigh, looking around before hurrying after the siblings, who were a few steps ahead of him. They stepped into a neat hall, past a security guard who was reading the newspaper balancing on two legs of his chair and towards a file of elevators on the furthest end. There were a few people coming and going, and all of them took the time to greet the Sasagawa duo or ask about the match, looking curiously at his bandaged wrist.

Once they were into the elevator and the doors closed behind them, Kyoko took a magnetic card from her purse, flashing it before the machine. "We are going to the Clam's private area. You need permission to enter," she explained before he could voice his question, before turning around and resting her back against the wall, still smiling.

Uneasy, the teen looked away, trying to gather his thoughts. That revelation was not surprising; most Families liked to keep their secrets hidden, and the Clam had to be one of the most zealous in protecting them. No one knew where they had come from, or exactly how many members they had in his ranks; their boss in particular was completely surrounded by mystery. They ascended in silence, until his curiosity beat his fear.

"Were these people part of the Family as well?" He asked, puzzled. It certainly seemed odd that they only had a Sun player then. The woman chuckled a little, but it was her brother who answered.

"Of course not!" Ryohei said with surprise, as if that should have been obvious. "Only the two top floors have members of the Clam; most of the middle floors are flats and the lower floors are rented to small offices. They are all civilians."

"What?" Hikaru exclaimed, unable to believe his ears. "What if someone tries to attack you here?" How careless could they be? Even if the games were the only form of violence between Families that was sanctioned by the Company, very few Families played fair, and no one could prevent _accidents_ from happening. These people, despite all of their strange quirks, were still players and as such they could not be so naïve. Unless, of course, they had an ulterior motive to do something that irresponsible. The thought of _purposefully_ using civilians to shield themselves…

"You are putting their lives in danger!"

Kyoko shook her head, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder. "That's not true. They are safer here than they would be anywhere else. Our head of security is the best, he would never allow anything to happen." Seeing that he was still not convinced, she continued with a small frown. "What you need to know is that Sky would _never_ allow anyone to get hurt on his behalf. All the normal people that live or work here, he helped them. He gave them a place to stay, and now he gives them the protection they would not find elsewhere. Or do you think that only flame users have it hard?"

Her eyes were shadowed; it obviously was an uncomfortable topic for her. Before he could think of something else to say however, or ask any further, the elevator came to a stop and the doors opened with a soft 'ding'. Taking a few seconds to compose herself, Kyoko sighed before stepping out managing a small smile. "Well, if you stay around, you'll understand eventually." The three of them made their way down the hallway, until reaching one of the many doors in it.

Kyoko knocked softly and, sharing a confused look with her brother when no one answered, she tried the doorknob that didn't put any resistance to her efforts. Slowly she stepped inside, followed by her two companions.

The office was spacious and well-lit, but it lacked any kind of personal objects, almost as if no one used it; on the contrary, it looked like the kind of aseptic room that one could find in a magazine.

"Kyoko, Ryohei," a man greeted them. He looked older than the three, his serious expression clashing horribly with his strange hairstyle, which looked like something out of a comic book. His gaze rested on Hikaru, and the teen had to fight the impulse to fidget under the scrutiny. Seeming to reach a conclusion, he advanced, offering his hand to shake.

"I am Kusakabe. A pleasure," he said, straight to the point.

"Ah… I'm Fukui Hikaru. Pleasure to meet you."

The man gave him a curt nod before turning to the silveret, "He'll come shortly… which reminds me, you and Yamamoto have a new mission. I suggest you look for him as soon as possible, Sasagawa."

Ryohei nodded, and they waited in silence until the door opened once more, and someone came inside. Instantly the three people stood up to greet him, but he smiled and waved his hand, taking a seat behind the desk. With one last nod, Kusakabe left the room, leaving them alone. The Clam's boss then directed his attention to the teen. The boss was not what the ex-Kuroi member had envisioned, not at all. Yet at the same time, he _was_, that and much more_. _His eyes glinted with understanding and knowledge, and despite his deceivingly weak appearance, past the kind front he presented; the observer could see the leadership skills and fierce disposition of the man in front of him.

"It's great to meet you at last; you have impressed one of my guardians, and that is not an easy feat," and even if the words were simple, the sentiment behind them was so strong and clear that the teen could not doubt the leader's honesty. "I'm sorry you had to get hurt," the brunet said, and a strange expression darkened his face for a second, but it was gone before he could try to decipher it.

"It wasn't your fault. I should have been quicker," the Sun guardian by his side said, and an unspoken message understood only by the two was passed between them. "Still, we won."

The boss nodded absently, not fully appeased by Ryohei's words, before resting his chin on top of his hands and looking at the younger boy. "What are you going to do now, Hikaru?"

Caught by surprise by his bluntness, he could only blink. "I don't know. I can't go back with the Kuroi Chi, and I wouldn't want to even if I could. Besides, I doubt they would be very happy with me at the moment."

"Would you like to live here for now?" He continued before anyone could interrupt him. "It does not have to be as part of the Family. I'm sure you have seen some of the tenants living in the building; just tell your decision to Kusakabe-san, and he will give you one of the empty apartments."

"Why would you do that? What can you gain from it?"

The guardian and his sister snickered, and even the boss seemed amused. "Well," he said with a hint of laughter in his voice, "Honestly, it's not like we need any more money than what we already have." Hikaru felt the blood rushing to his cheeks, and lowered his head to hide the blush. The brunet's tone adopted a serious tone, and he added, "We have the power to change things, even if it is for just a handful of people for now. In that case, isn't it our duty to do so?" For just a second, an orange flame passed behind his pupils, showing the strength of his beliefs.

Defeated, and feeling more tired than he had ever felt, the Sun user sighed. "I… think I wouldn't mind joining you but… I don't know if I want to keep fighting."

"Well," The boss said with a smile, not seeming surprised by his reticence, "Even if you had your mind made up already, you technically can't do neither until the week after the next. You can take that time to adjust," he said with a smile, and the teen realized that they had been dismissed. A bit dazzled, he exited the room followed by the Sun Guardian, while Kyoko remained behind.

Once they were out of earshot, Ryohei smiled, punching him in the arm. "So, what do you think of our boss?"

"He is… different. Well, ah… I guess you all are… different." He fidgeted, and a flash of pain made him clutch his side, suddenly remembering him about his recent injury. The Sun guardian noticed, and frowned.

"You shouldn't strain that arm. I did all I could, but it will still take a while to heal completely."

Thankfully Hikaru had Sun flames as well, and even if he had never mastered their healing abilities, his body would still react quicker than the average against a threat to his health. He rubbed the back of his head, still a bit overwhelmed by the events of the day.

"I just need to go talk with… Kusakabe, was it? I can manage, if you have other things to do."

Ryohei seemed about to argue further, but in the end he agreed. "Well if you are sure, I better go find Takeshi. See ya around!" The boxer beamed and broke into a light jog down the hallway, soon disappearing behind the corner. Hikaru sighed, glad to finally have some time alone to sort his thoughts. Only…

"Wait… now where do I go?"

* * *

_Tokyo, Japan – Hotel Ritz_

During the following days, the dark haired man had kept the same routine, waiting and spying inconspicuously on one corner of the cafeteria near the hall. Today, as always, his mark appeared on the dot, once again with a different conquest by his side.

He observed as the loud red-haired man advanced, talking loudly about some imaginary exploits trying to circle his right arm around the waist of a woman that, despite his courteous nature, the observer could only classify as horrifying. She was almost as wide as she was tall, with short legs and a round bun that only amplified the illusion of being in front of a balloon. She was listening to her host without trying to hide her boredom, oval eyes scanning the room idly until, after coincidentally resting on his figure, they twinkled with something akin to curiosity.

Normally he would have feigned interest in a random column of the newspaper in his hands and ignore the multiple dates of the man, but not today. He and his partner had been spying on their target for almost a week now, and wasting any more time would only increase their chances of failing. So, with a gait in his step and a smile on his lips, he approached the couple, easily slipping into the role that would best suit his interests.

Luck was on his side, as the girl noticed his approach and, with what seemed like a flirtatious bat of her eyes, she disentangled herself from her date.

"Good afternoon, lovely lady." He said, giving a half-bow and showing his white teeth; she giggled, making a sound that seemed oddly out of place coming out from her body. "May I know the name that fits such beauty?"

She wobbled around, coming face to face with him; casually, Takeshi took a step backwards to glimpse his target, Naito Longchamp, who was still blissfully unaware of the drama taking place behind him.

"Shouldn't you give your name first?" She said, and her loud voice finally seemed to attract the Tomaso leader's attention.

He narrowed his eyes at the same time that the swordsman, throwing a smug smirk in his direction, answered the woman, "I am Yamamoto Takeshi, of the Clam Family. May I invite you to a drink, my dear?"

The woman opened his mouth –to accept, no doubt-, but before she could make a sound, Longchamp was already shouting, moving in front of her, as if he was trying to protect her from an assailant (even if it was painfully obvious that few would get away unscratched were they to attack such a monstrosity)

"What the hell are you doing to my Hanako?"

Takeshi lifted his chin, affecting contempt, before answering with a sneer, drawling his voice, "I can't see why it is your business, but if you must know I was only offering her the chance to spend a good time in the city."

"She is _my_ girl, you bastard!" The red head shrieked, falling right into the trap; before he could try and take back his words, Takeshi incensed him even more.

"Is that so? She was obviously getting bored with your pathetic attempts at courting."

"That's it! Do you think you can come here, steal my girl and insult me? Do you know who am I?" Ah, that was almost too easy.

"Can't say I do. The question is, do you know who _I_ am? I am the Rain guardian of Japan's most powerful Family," though that probably wasn't quite true, but Longchamp was too angry to fully register his words "I doubt _you_ have anything to offer that I can't."

"Ha! Think again, pretty boy! I am Naito Longchamp, the leader of the Tomaso Famiglia! And if you are the best in Japan, then I am the best in Italy! So take that!"

"Care to prove it?" Takeshi asked smoothly. "Or are you all talk?"

"Of course I can! The Tomaso Famiglia challenges you, Rain guardian of whatever to a Game! Whenever and wherever you want! What do you say? Or are _you_ all talk?"

"It's a deal." Takeshi gave him a disarming smile, before taking his phone out with a flourish to pick a number from his list of contacts, as he motioned for the table he had been occupying before. "Shall we discuss the details?"

* * *

_Tokyo, Japan – Deijii Stadium_

The day of the match came quickly, and the stadium was full to the brim; it was not every day that one of their national Families fought against someone from the cradle of the White Orchid Games, Italy.

Among the enthusiastic crowd, there were two women. One of them was short and lively, a mass of energy waiting to be released. Her dark, wavy hair was tied in a ponytail that bobbed every time she took a step; she elbowed her way down the grades until she reached the front row, where she sat crossing her legs and proceed to increase her score in a game on her iPhone, ignoring the people around her.

The other had a more serious demeanor, dressed smartly as she waited near the waiting rooms, her eyes darting up and down as she scanned the people passing by. Not one person who had seen the two of them standing next to each other would ever guess that they were, in fact, partners with a shared goal.

After a while, the older woman's own phone beeped, and she gracefully opened it, rolling her eyes at her partner's choice of words. Haru had always had a taste for theatrics that Hana didn't share.

'R u going to see the game? im diing to see the Clam ;p heard they r amazing *o*'

Rolling her eyes, she composed her reply, her polished nails tapping quickly against the screen as she finished surveying the place.

'I wonder if there will be anything worth mentioning in today's Game.'

'u r so stiff xo. The guy I have behind cld learn something from u'

Her eyes turned to slits as she read; another non-flamer, huh? She wondered if he was just there to observe like her, or if he was part of Tomaso's strategy. And if so, what could it be.

'Problems?'

'No, cn handl it d(^.^)b'

Hana snorted, 'You can talk without all those emoticons, you know.'

'Nope ToT gonna go c ur friend? Ive found the pieces he was looking 4'

'Where?'

'Ive 3 at home, seen some in the mall across town. Btw a really rude guy bumped into me omw here DD:'

'Something else?'

'no, thats all'

'I'll see you later'

'Cyl :D'

Closing the device, she leisurely went to one of the locker rooms, and after making sure that no one could see her, she came inside. The room was bare, extremely functional, with only one occupant in the room, who was sitting on the floor with his legs crossed, meditating. Clearing her throat to alert the swordsman of his presence, she said, "It is time, Yamamoto."

He nodded and slowly stood up flashing a smile that did not reach his eyes, since his mind was already focused on the battle ahead. "It's been a long time, Hana."

She buffed, shaking her head, "You know that I can't help in every match, I do have a job that I'd like to actually keep. But today we can't afford to let you go there alone, especially since it is a ranking match. It's a pity that we could not be with Ryohei the other day, but this is how things have to be. Anyway, Haru has already located various non-flame members of Tomaso all around the stadium, and they _will_ try something."

"I'm sure you can handle them." Hana pinched the bridge of his nose, frustrated by her partners' nonchalance.

"I'm sure we can," she said sarcastically. "But be careful. You certainly riled their leader up with your little stunt. "

"It was that or insulting his date and that wouldn't have ended well for me." He chuckled, "And he can't interfere personally in the match, can he? Relax Hana. We'll be fine."

He brushed her shoulder as he left the room, and she sighed before following him, wondering once again why she had joined such insane people. The loudspeakers were already bellowing the introductions when she finally stepped outside, lifting a hand to her face as her eyes adjusted to the light.

"_And here it is, the representative of our national Family, the Clam! Ladies and gentlemen, give a round of applause for the Rain guardian, Yamamoto Takeshi!"_

* * *

**I know that some people are concerned by the OCs in the story; while there will be several of them and they will all have an impact on the story, I can promise that the focus will still be on Tsuna and his guardians. Even Hikaru will step out of the limelight for a few chapters, but I wanted to show the family from an independent point of view, hence the focus of the first part. However I'll do all I can to prevent any Mary Sue from slipping into the story. ^^**

**Next chapter, we finally get to the long-awaited battle between the Clam and Tomaso! Originally it was supposed to come in this chapter, but then it would have been twice as large and it wouldn't be out in at least another month, so it's split in two. ^^**

**As usual, thank you to all of you who reviewed, favorited, followed and read this story, and a special thanks to my beta, WhitishBlack! Please leave a review if you liked it!**

**Until next time!**


	5. Level I: Rain's Breeze

04. Level I: Rain's Breeze

_Tokyo, Japan – Deiiji Stadium_

Naito Longchamp –and by extension, his Family-was _not_ a happy man. There were dozens of better things to do on a Saturday morning than being in an uncomfortable plastic seat of some cheap stadium. The honor of his lover well deserved the inconvenience, of course, but he couldn't help an unmanly pout as he brooded.

The Tomaso leader slumped further onto his seat with a dramatic sigh, extending his legs and bending his neck until his nape touched the back of the seat and he was looking at the roof. At the very least, she could be the slightest bit _grateful_ for what he was doing. Mangusta, no matter how much Naito liked his right-hand man, had thrown a fit when he learned of the battle and the fact that Hanako (who on the other hand had the loveliest smile he had ever seen) kept on gushing about the dark-haired gigolo did not help matters any.

He sighed more loudly, zooning out the sounds of the place and completely giving up any pretense of leadership or dignity, crossing his arms across his chest with a huff. For starters, the so called Family had no manners whatsoever. He hadn't met the leader even if it was traditional to do so before a ranking match, instead having to settle for a videoconference with an angry silver haired man that had barely acknowledged him the whole time. And what kind of name was 'Clam' anyway? It was stupid, that's what it was. They had to be stupid to use something like that. Or maybe they were just suicidal.

The noise around him got louder and reluctantly, the man straightened up to see the cause of the fuss; the players were already facing each other on the arena. Eight on his side (it should have been more, but for some strange reason everyone was fired or they asked for a transfer soon after they began working for his younger brother) against the only Clam member.

Back at the field, Yamamoto had his hand resting casually on the hilt of the already transformed sword, while his eyes seized rapidly his enemies, all pretenses dropped in favor of the battle ahead. There were six fighters, that much was apparent, and another blond man waited by the side of their Guardian, both carrying strange bulks. Takeshi studied the leader carefully.

Lunga Longchamp, the Tomaso's Rain Guardian, was an unpredictable fellow as prone to throw destructive temper tantrums as the rest of the Family, though no one would have guessed seeing his outward appearance. He was barely five feet high with a beanie hiding his hair and a pair of headphones over it, and didn't show any expression. But for an experienced fighter like the Clam's Rain, the killing aura was almost visible, thick like a wall and ready to pounce like a predator in front of his prey.

A smile unlike any his allies would ever see, dark and mirthless, took hold of Takeshi's features as they waited for the beginning of the match.

"_Players, please be on your guards! Ready!..." _Like one, the swordsmen unsheathed their swords, the blades glinting with the light. For a moment, it seemed like the whole stadium held their breaths.

"START!"

Takeshi side-stepped to the right before moving forward, intent on slashing the closer enemy in half; at the last moment however, his sword moved downwards at an awkward angle, blocking a second blow coming from the side. Without losing his momentum, Takeshi lifted one knee and kicked his original target on the chest, making him stumble and allowing the raven haired man to recover his stance in time to dodge the blades coming from right and left by jumping backwards.

His blade moved quickly, barely resting on one place before blocking another blow, trying to take advantage of another mistake on the rain of attacks that were falling over him. In spite of his talent with the sword, he could barely do anything else than defend, dodge and retreat. Twice he reacted just in time to prevent the men from cornering him against the wall, slipping in between two of his assailants before they could try to synchronize their attacks.

The young Rain narrowed his eyes and as the next opportunity appeared, he charged boldly ahead and attempted to slash his rival before the man could finish his preparations; and as the man's sword raised to block, Takeshi dropped his own, only to recover it with his left and finishing the attack against the now unguarded enemy. After he was down, Takeshi stepped over him, turning and using the fallen to put some distance between him and the remaining swordsmen.

_Shigure Souen Style, 5__th__ form; Early Summer Rain._

He had only seen that move once before. He had been spying on his father after one of those long, boring days of summer in which there were barely enough costumers to justify keeping the business open instead of going to the beach. The sushi chef had taken the bamboo sword with the same confidence he used his kitchen knives, and, hidden behind some crates, six-years-old Takeshi had observed his training with awe, the foreign moves getting burned in his memory.

It was just as well really, seeing as his father would never have the chance to actually _teach_ him any kind of swordplay.

Scowling in frustration, Takeshi forced himself to swallow his regret, to return his attention to the present and the very real danger that the five remaining blades posed. While the Shigure Souen was a powerful style, the truth was that it was more suited for one-on-one situations, and so he could not use it now to its full potential.

Now the brief pause was coming to an end, and an icy-blue stare pierced him as one of his opponents prepared to go on the offensive; even so, Takeshi didn't miss the blur of red hair trying to get away from his field of vision.

With one swift movement of his wrist he unsheathed the dagger hidden in his sleeve and, before they could react to the new threat, he pivoted, impaling the one who had tried to sneak on him from behind in the gut. However he could not finish his job and incapacitate him completely, since the blue-eyed man in front of him chose that moment to charge forward.

This dance of sorts kept the men standing moving, attacking, defending and attacking again. For a while, neither of them seemed able to gain the upper hand, until something intruded in Takeshi's conscience, something so soft that he ignored it for a few seconds; that was a grave mistake.

* * *

When the shorty began rummaging in his bag, Hana had unconsciously tensed; Yamamoto's attention was solely on the bigger threat, and he would be an easy target. When she saw the item, however, she could barely believe her eyes.

It was a guitar. An electric guitar, almost too big for the Guardian's chubby fingers, but still useless in battle unless he planned to whack Yamamoto on the head with it. By his side, his subordinate began to prepare a set of amplifiers around them, and Hana could only look, dumbfound. Where they actually being serious?

Apparently they were, because Longchamp had set about tuning the instrument, ignoring the men trying to kill each other a few feet away from him. It took him a few minutes, during which another one of his men fell to Yamamoto's blade, but finally he looked up, his eyes as dead as ever, and he played the first chord.

The dark haired woman frowned when no sound came from the instrument, yet Longchamp seemed unaware as he kept pressing the cords as if nothing was wrong. She observed him, puzzled, and leaned closer trying to figure out the piece she was missing.

It was a subtle change and it took her a while to realize it, but when she finally noticed what it was, Hana really felt like cursing in spite of her usually calm character.

Ever since the beansprout began his tune, Yamamoto's movements had looked sluggish, disconnected, and the three swordsmen left around him seemed to have relaxed slightly, yet they were still coming on top, their blades coming closer to their mark. If she didn't know better, she could have sworn that they were practically playing with him, even if he had already proven to be a dangerous enemy.

But how could Longchamp do something to Yamamoto from so far away, without affecting their comrades, and with _music_ of all things? She found her answer when she saw a flicker of blue near the apathetic man.

_Rain flames._

That was it! Hana felt like smacking herself for not realizing it sooner. Rain flames were the flames of tranquility, so it wouldn't be too far of a stretch to think that they could act as mild sedatives in the right conditions. Not many Families in Japan knew how to use them properly, so the Clam was not fully prepared to counter them in a real scenario, no matter how hard they had trained.

Her phone began vibrating with urgency, and after confirming that it was her partner, she picked up. They had been thinking along the same lines.

"_I have a plan to stop them."_

Haru was panting and it seemed like she was running; her voice reverberated oddly so Hana concluded that she was inside the building. There was no need to ask who 'them' was, so she began moving, turning her back to the battle.

"Where are you?"

"_Hallway G, on the third floor, and there are some guys following me!"_

"G… I'll be there in a minute!" She said, already sprinting.

"_We don't_ have_ a minute, desu!"_

"Well, then get it!"

Hana hung up abruptly and climbed the stairs two at a time, rasping for breath as she arrived to the third floor and heard the tell-tale sounds of a scuffle nearby. Coming closer, she realized that one of the voices was unmistakable Haru's, and she moved quickly.

The brunet was trapped between the two assailants and fighting rather viciously against them, a third already moaning on the floor. Even when both men were bulkier and had more experience in combat, they were still having a hard time subduing her, so much so that they didn't notice the moment Hana decided to join the fray.

Quietly, she approached the man closer to her and tapped him on the shoulder. When he turned around, confused, she quickly sprayed him with the pepper spray she kept in her purse. While he coughed and tried to swear between gasps, reaching blindly in her direction, she kicked him between the legs with enough force to send him tumbling to the ground.

Then she threw the can towards her partner, who promptly got rid of the other man in a similar way, adding a kick to the stomach once he was down with a satisfied smile. Haru proceeded to shake off imaginary dust from her clothes and handed the spray back to her partner, who lifted an eyebrow at her smug attitude.

"Let's go, before the rest of their goons come looking for us."

"Where are we going?"

Haru snickered. "The commentator's room."

"Haru, you are a genius."

Takeshi blinked, unable to keep his focus. At last he gave up on moving, since he could not seem to do it without tripping over his own feet. The part of his mind that was not fighting to keep control of the battle was silently cursing for not paying more attention to Hana's warnings; now he could only trust that they could do something to help before he was done for.

As if it was waiting for that signal, one of the strikes caught his attention over the haze in his mind; with dread he realized that the reason why it did was because this one would be lethal. And he was powerless against it.

But he had not gotten this far by giving up; he was the one who had been by their boss' side the longest. He had made an oath to be by his side to the end, and he was _not_ going to fail again.

The sword was already a hair's length away from him.

With a start, Takeshi stumbled backwards, lifting his chin and managing to avoid getting stabbed between the eyes. Droplets of blood fell from the new cut on his jaw and he had to grit his teeth to avoid a cry of pain; while it wasn't life-threatening he was fairly sure that the blade had grazed his jaw bone, and would most likely scar.

Just as the rest closed in, the other blades coming impossibly near his neck, a loud screech cut the air, similar to that of a blackboard being scratched. The high-pitched sound resounded for several seconds, as everyone struggled to cover their ears with shouts of pain. Reacting only on instinct, the swordsman threw himself to the ground and rolled away from the Tomaso in an undignified movement that left red splatters on the ground. But he was alive, and that was a definite advantage.

In front of a speechless commentator and gasping for breath, Haru smirked in victory. The girls stayed put just long enough to see that, despite his injuries, Takeshi had recovered and then left the room before security could try anything. Hana was already formulating a plan that would even the odds further. Finding a map of the building, she began walking to the ground floor.

"Haru, let's go set the sprinklers."

If the Tomaso wanted a Rain battle then, who were they to refuse?

Takeshi used the brief respite to analyze his wounds. The cut on his chin was the flashiest, and he had a hard time ignoring the stabs of pain. He had lost the dagger sometime during the time he had been under the flames influence, and had a thin cut over his left hand, though it was so shallow that it had almost stopped bleeding already. He was more concerned about the discomfort on his left ankle, that he seemed to have twisted somewhere along the way, and also had various cuts along his arms.

He could still keep going, but he would not be able to fight efficiently for long; the fact was that he was at a disadvantage again and still outnumbered.

Then he felt the first drop of water, and soon the people were shouting as they tried to search cover or helplessly tried to use newspapers and bags to avoid getting completely drenched.

Takeshi couldn't hold back a laugh as the artificial rain began to pour down. Resolving to thank the girls later, he lifted his sword as small puddles of water began forming at his feet. While the amount of water was still barely enough to increase the efficiency of his style, the truth still remained…

The Shigure Souen Style was completely flawless and utterly invincible.

_1__st__ form, Axle of Rain_; the enemy in front of him could barely block him as he charged forward with a thrust. _7__th__ form, Spraying Rain, _he felt the other two closing in and he held the sword backwards, creating a whirlwind that shielded him. Before they could recover, he slashed one of them with the back of his sword, hitting the ribs with enough force to knock him out.

Drops of water began gathering around him, and for the first time he was able to see a flash of fear in the eyes of his rivals. They charged simultaneously, and moments before their blades made contact for the last time, he half-whispered. "8th offensive form. Pouring Rain."

The blue eyed swordsman went down first, with a grunt that sounded between amused and ashamed as the sword slipped from his limp hand, and fell face down. The auburn haired followed shortly after, briefly shouting in pain. The rain had stopped. And then there was silence.

Lunga was impassive, watching with dead eyes as the battle came to an end. His demeanor didn't change, even as he showed the gun he had been concealing before.

"I guess I'll have to blow your brains out personally." He fired.

Faster than it should have been possible in his state, Takeshi used the back of his blade to deflect it, and he turned around, facing the short man. Both Guardians examined each other for a few seconds, seizing the last opponent. As expressionless as ever, Lunga lifted both arms to acknowledge his defeat.

Takeshi jumped aside in time to avoid the rain of bullets from the two remaining men. After a moment, he heard the faint _'click' _that signaled that the Tomaso had run out of bullets, and he closed the distance between them, knocking their guardian over and pressing his sword against the blonde's neck. Almost immediately he felt the reloaded Beretta of Lunga's partner pointed at his head, but his hand stood steady even as everyone held their breath.

The standstill seemed to stretch indefinitely, until a faint trail of red began flowing from the tip of his sword. Lunga glanced at the seats where his brother and closest advisors were, and finally seemed to reach a conclusion.

"I yield." Lunga snarled through gritted teeth.

The Cervello acting as referee made a signal, and the commentator's voice boomed. _"It's been a close call, but the winner is the _Clam_'s Rain, who with this victory will ascend to Level II! Congratulations!"_

Takeshi blinked as the fatigue and blood loss caught up with him, and was barely able to make it back inside before he crashed down, resting his head against the wall. The last thing he saw before losing consciousness were two identical smiles over him, and he felt the corners of his mouth twitching up even as he fell all the way to the floor.

* * *

_¿?_ – _Vendicare_

The murmur of his cloak and the sound of his footsteps were the only sounds that could be heard as the man walked in his base with no windows. The darkness did nothing to hinder his advance, as it was one that he and the rest of his comrades had embraced willingly, and one they had coexisted with for many decades. Finally arriving at his destination, he came into the room, looking at the figure prostrated in the bed. Almost as if he noticed the exact moment the eyes of the newcomer rested on him, the figure groaned.

"Is there something in your mind?" He asked with a hint of sarcasm, daring him to comment on his vulnerability.

"The Nameless One is moving, just as you predicted," The bandaged man said, impassive. "At this rate, his Family will move to Italy before the end of the month."

That seemed to amuse the figure, who barked a short laugh.

"Is that so? Well, recklessness seems to be a shared trait among that man's descendants. That suits us perfectly." Supporting his weight on an elbow, he sat with difficulty, the effort making him pant.

Masking his worry for the man's decaying health, the first speaker continued.

"Is he ready?"

"Why, do you doubt my investment? The brat will do enough. I'd imagine he has some powerful enemies already, but the Sun has never let any of his students slack off. The day of our revenge is finally getting within reach." Even if no one could see him, a shark-like smile spread across his features.

"Show us the power of your Will, Primo's child."

* * *

_Clam_ vs. _Tomaso_ (Rain match): _Victory!_

* * *

**And now, the Clam is finally a Family of the Level II! *sigh* I wanted to add the Desolation bullet in this chapter, but it just didn't fit anywhere T-T**

**As usual, thank you to all of you who reviewed, favorited, followed and read this story, and a special thanks to my beta, WhitishBlack! Oh, and also to the Reborn Wiki, from where I've taken most of my data!**

**Please leave a review if you liked it! Or even if you didn't!**

**Until next time!**


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